Investigators search for missing cab driver's body

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Fayetteville, N.C. — In the nearly three years since a Fayetteville cab driver disappeared on the job, authorities have followed up on countless leads and identified several persons of interest. All they need now is a body.

Investigators believe two local men killed William Simon, 61, dumped his body and then tried to hide his cab in a field in Spring Lake.

"Without a body and without an original crime scene, where this all took place at, it's very hard to go forward from here," said Charlie Disponzio, who worked the case as a lieutenant with the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office.

Family, friends and coworkers knew something was wrong when they didn't hear from Simon on March 21, 2008. His boss, Larry Morrisey, who owns LM Taxi Cab Service in Fayetteville, got an alarming call around 7 p.m. from a man in Spring Lake.

"He said, 'Are you missing a cab?' I said, 'Well, I'm missing a driver I've been trying to get in touch with all day,'" Morrisey said. "He said, 'Well, the reason I'm calling is I see one of your cabs back behind this building in a wooded area.'"

Morrisey rushed to the scene and was immediately concerned when he saw Simon's Bible on the front seat.

"He enjoyed his church and his grandkids. There's no way I would think that he would just disappear," Morrisey said. "Something transpired."

"Mr. Simon always went to work, did not abuse alcohol or drugs, and was very faithful in going to work and taking care of his cab," said Sgt. Kim Gagnon of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office. "So absolutely we thought we might find a body rather than find Mr. Simon himself."

The cab was found in a muddy rut, and authorities believe that Simon's killers abandoned it there because they got stuck. To solve this case, they said, they need to find Simon's body.

"Someone knows his whereabouts, where they dumped the body, who done it," Morrisey said. "Just give a tip so we can find his remains and put an end and closure to this thing for his family."

There's a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.

Anyone with information about the disappearance of William Simon can call NC Wanted's tipline at 1-866-439-2683 or submit a tip online.